As the old year 2024 ends and the new year 2025 begins, people from all walks of life are praying for the fulfillment of their longings in 2025. For the Burmese people, 2024 was a year of military conflicts, hardships, oppression, and severe natural disasters. In addition to financial hardship, economic downturn, and job shortages, people from all walks of life are also facing military service. People from all walks of life are hoping that these hardships will be overcome in the coming new year 2025. What are the hopes and prayers of the people living in the country amidst the difficulties in the new year 2025? This is a collection of stories from Yangon.
The old year 2024 will soon end and the new year 2025 will begin. The monk who prayed for the construction of the federal democratic state that the people have been hoping for in 2025 is Sasthanadaja Dhammasariya Sacha Sayadaw Ashin U Panyinda.
“U Zin’s hope for 2025 is that the military dictatorship will be completely overthrown and the revolution will be completed. I hope for the best. My prayer for the people and the people of Burma is that they will soon have peace and prosperity. Since the people are the most important, they will help each other and overcome all difficulties, overcome them, and be free. May the equal, fair, independent, and peaceful federal democracy that the people have hoped for and expected be built as soon as possible. May love, kindness, and compassion flourish in all parts of the world, and may there be no man-made disasters. May there be no natural disasters. May the whole world be peaceful and prosperous and have plenty of food and water.”
Political analyst U Than Soe Naing predicts that peace talks will take place, but there will also be military escalation. He also prays that the people will be able to return to their homeland in 2025.
“I believe that 2025 will not bring peace talks and a better political solution, but rather more military preparations and more intense fighting. We hope that 2025 will be the year when the people return to their homeland.”
Attorney General U Kyi Myint prayed for the release of all Burmese people who are under house arrest nationwide under military rule.
“I believe that 2025 will be the year when the Burmese people will be freed, and I pray for their release.”
Ko Thet Zin (current editor-in-chief) prayed for an end to the civil war amid the ongoing armed conflicts and military conflicts in Myanmar, which has been under military rule.
“We hope that the federal democratic state that all ethnic groups and people of our country hope for will be achieved as soon as possible. The ongoing internal wars will also end as soon as possible. Another thing is that we hope that we will be free from the natural disasters we faced last year and the natural disasters we faced in 2024 this year. I also want the economic and social difficulties that the people are really facing to be freed as soon as possible.”
Dr. Aye Maung also wants the civil war to end in 2025. He also prays that we can reach a peaceful state.
“We want the civil war to end in 2025. We want a country that is politically stable and then developed. As the New Year approaches, the history of Myanmar’s independence has reached its highest point in terms of killing each other. I want all those involved to think about how we can learn the lessons of the old year and pass them on to the new generation. I pray that this will be the beginning of a step towards a peaceful and prosperous future for Myanmar.”
A woman from Hlaing Tharyar, a Yangon resident, wants to see peace and stability return to the way it was before the military took power.
“I just want everything to be peaceful and just like it was before. I want it to be peaceful and just like it was in 2020. There’s nothing to look forward to in 2025.”
The VOA community would like to wish all the people of Myanmar and all VOA staff a safe, healthy, and prosperous New Year 2025.
